📍 Location Scouting
“The Zone does not exist on a map. But maps help you find where the Zone begins.”
The Zone is always a specific place. A specific quality of light. A specific relationship between a wall and a drain. The Location Scout is the instrument for finding those places before the camera arrives.
Marker System
Locations are tagged by alchemical phase — which reflects where the location sits in the production process:
| Marker | Phase | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| ◈ Dark | Nigredo | Initial research — heard about it, not yet visited |
| ◈ Ash | Albedo | Scouted in person — assessed, photographed |
| ◈ Gold | Rubedo | Confirmed — locked for production |
Status Flags
Each marker also carries a production status:
- Prospect — candidate, unverified
- Scouted — physically visited, notes recorded
- Confirmed — locked, permissions secured
- Shot ✓ — completed, faded on map
Notes Protocol
When dropping a marker, the notes field should capture:
Light: direction, quality, time window
Access: public / private / permit required
Hazards: traffic, weather exposure, noise
Atmosphere: one sentence — what does this place *do*?
Export / Backup
Locations are stored in browser localStorage. Use Export in the map sidebar to download a gastrosoph-locations.json backup. Import merges with existing locations — no duplicates by ID.
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